LAKE CHARLES—McNeese softball will open its 2019 season this weekend by hosting its own Cowgirl Classic that begins Thursday and runs through Sunday. The tournament field includes preseason ranked Arkansas (#14), Campbell, Lipscomb, and Samford. Season tickets are currently on sale for $75 which includes 30 home games.
 
Gates will open at 4 p.m. Thursday and the first 100 McNeese students will receive free hotdogs and the first 50 students will receive a free T-shirt. For Friday's Cowgirl games, free pizza will be distributed to the student section.
 
McNeese will kick things off with a 6 p.m. game against Samford Thursday night. Friday's action begins at 10 a.m. with Campbell and Lipscomb facing off. McNeese will take on Samford at 5:30 p.m. and Arkansas at 8 p.m. Both games will be televised on Cox Sports.
 
Saturday's games will also begin at 10 a.m. with Samford and Campbell getting the day started. McNeese will play Campbell at 5:30 p.m. and Lipscomb at 8 p.m.
 
The tournament will conclude with two games on Sunday that will have Campbell facing Arkansas at 9 a.m. and McNeese and Lipscomb at 11:30 a.m.
 
The Cowgirls are coming off their second straight 40-win season under third year head coach James Landreneau. Landreneau and his staff have 15 letterwinners returning from a team that posted a 41-21 record in 2018 and won its third straight Southland Conference Tournament and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the third straight year.
 
Senior Justyce McClain and juniors Alexandria Saldivar and Alexsandra Flores are the top Cowgirls returning and who were also named to the SLC Preseason team. Joining the three players will be several other players who have seen substantial playing time the past few years. The Cowgirls return their entire pitching staff which includes Flores who led McNeese with 19 victories and a 3.02 ERA. Joining her in the circle will be sophomores Amber Coons, Caroline Settle, and Ashley Koncir. Freshman Saleen Flores will be making her pitching debut this weekend along with seven other rookies.  
 
New to Joe Miller Field this season will be the addition of a student section that will be located down the third base line and a faculty section that will be a designated area down the first base line
 
TOURNAMENT TICKET PRICES
Thursday, Feb. 7 (ONLY)- $8
Friday-Sunday- $12 per day
 
SEASON TICKETS
$75 for 30 games; McNeese faculty get a 20% discount
 
PROMOTIONS
Thursday. Feb. 7- Free hotdogs to the first 100 McNeese students; free t-shirts to the first 50 McNeese students
 
Friday, Feb. 8- Free Pizza for McNeese students during Cowgirl games
 
TV GAMES
Four tournament games will be televised on Cox Sports
Fri.- Feb. 8 Samford vs. McNeese (5:30 p.m.)
                  Arkansas vs. McNeese (8 p.m.)
Sat.- Feb. 9 Samford vs. Arkansas (12:30 p.m.)
                     Lipscomb vs. Arkansas (3 p.m.)
 
LIVE STREAMING
McNeese will stream tournament games (excluding TV games) on Thursday, Friday, and Sunday on mcneesesports.com for a paid subscription.
 
LIVESTATS
Livestats will be provided for all tournament games on mcneesesports.com
 
 
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
 
THURSDAY FEB. 7
6 p.m.- McNeese vs. Samford
 
FRIDAY, FEB. 8
10 a.m.- Lipscomb vs. Campbell
12:30 p.m.- Samford vs. Lipscomb
3 p.m.- Campbell vs. Arkansas
5:30 p.m.- McNeese vs. Samford (Cox Sports)
8 p.m.- McNeese vs. Arkansas (Cox Sports)
 
SATURDAY, FEB. 9
10 a.m.- Campbell vs. Samford
12:30 p.m.- Arkansas vs. Samford (Cox Sports)
3 p.m.- Arkansas vs. Lipscomb (Cox Sports)
5:30 p.m.- McNeese vs. Campbell
8 p.m.- McNeese vs. Lipscomb
 
SUNDAY, FEB. 10
9 a.m.- Arkansas vs. Campbell
11:30 a.m.- McNeese vs. Lipscomb